How to redefine your living space after a break-up
By Monique Zamir, BounceBack Editorial Staff
You're newly divorced, or your partner has recently moved out, and now you can't even make a sandwich without thinking about them and descending into a oppressive, brooding and self-reflective state of mind because you're using the knife set that they bought for you. Meanwhile, the bread you just toasted is already too hard, and you've lost your appetite.
Never fear! There are things that you can do to redefine your place after a significant other moves out:
Bring Out Your Inner Interior Decorator
Don't hesitate to redesign your home. And don't be afraid to try some crazy ideas either. Now that it's just you, there's no one holding you back from trying some off-beat living arrangement. Always been intrigued by feng shui? Go for it; maybe the positive energy flows will help fuel your emotional recovery.
Confront Your Memories
Perhaps the only way you'll be able to move on from this is to confront the countless memories you have in your living space. Rather than distracting yourself from them, try recalling them from a new perspective. Now that you're no longer with them, maybe you'll think about these events differently, thereby helping you to better accept the separation or divorce and move on. Once you're able to deal with the old memories, you're in a better position to make new ones.
Don't Discount The Details
If you're still having trouble coping and these things seem daunting to you, don't overlook the effects of small changes. You could try reorganizing your work space or your wall decorations, maybe try to switch some paintings around, or even try to conquer your closet.
Hide Your Mementos
For those things with strong memories attached to them - birthday presents, anniversary gifts, pictures and the like, you could try storing them in a box, out of your sight, until you're ready to look at them again. Having things with strong memories out of your sight is important to help you get over your ex.
These are just several ideas to get you started. The point is to redefine your living space so that you can confront the old memories in a healthy way that allows you to simultaneously recreate your living area.
Monique is a writer and recent college graduate transitioning to the working world. She currently resides in New York and can be contacted at zamirmon@gmail.com.
BounceBack is helping people find happiness after heartbreak from a relationship breakup or divorce. It's a place to tell your story, get advice from experts, and share what you've learned with others in similar situations. Heartbreaks happen to everyone. And we believe everyone has the potential to bounce back to life and move forward. http://www.bounceback.com/
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